Month: January 2016

So-called “traditional families” have certainly evolved into something much more complicated. As a result, the concept of child support has evolved as well. Parents with multiple children or multiple families are often subject to multiple child support orders. As a result, a certain innovation in calculating child support obligations is necessary.

Conflicting interests

There are cases where a father may have three children, all with different mothers. The youngest child lives with the father and his current wife, while the other two children live with their respective mothers. The concern that courts have in determining child support obligations in this situation is that the father may end up paying an inflated amount of support for those children not living with father. On the other hand, there is also a concern that children from multiple families should not be prejudiced by other child support awards for children of another family.

One method of calculating multiple child support

When calculating child support for multiple families, courts will typically calculate two separate child support obligations for each custodial parent and then average the two together. In other words, one obligation is calculated without including any prior child support order, while the second obligation is calculated with consideration of the prior support orders. Finally, the two resulting child support obligations are averaged together and this average becomes the child support award for that custodial parent.

What about the self-support reserve?

The self-support reserve is an amount of money that the obligated parent will need to support himself or herself, before paying child support. This reserve ensures that both parties have sufficient income to maintain a “basic level of subsistence living” after child support is awarded. This amount represents a percentage of the federal poverty line for one person. If the child support obligation reduces the parent’s self-support reserve below the federal poverty guideline, the child support award will likely be adjusted. The steps for determining the self-support reserves are generally as follows:

determine the federal poverty guideline for the current year

combine the obligor’s support orders

calculate the net income of the non-custodial parent

subtract the poverty guideline amount from the obligor’s net income

Once these calculations have been made, the court will determine whether the custodial parent’s income is above or below the self-support reserve. If you have questions regarding child support, or any other divorce issues, contact attorney Brad J. Latta online, or by calling (205) 739-2422.

Every state has established its own laws regarding the duty of non-custodial parents to pay child support. In most cases, child support is required until the child reaches the age of majority, which also differs from one state to the next. In some states, there are exceptions to the rule that the duty to pay child support ends when the child is no longer a minor, such as support for educational expenses. That is no longer the case in Alabama, since the Alabama Supreme Court case Christopher v. Christopher, which ended the duty to provide post-majority support. However, an exception still remains for adult children with disabilities.

Post-majority child support for the disabled

In 1983, the Alabama Supreme Court upheld an order of payment of post-majority support for a disabled child in Ex Parte Brewington. Since that time, additional case law has provided the answers to some important questions regarding this important rule. For instance, the age of the child at the time of the divorce has no bearing on whether there is a duty to provide support, as long as the child’s disability arose during childhood and continues into adulthood.

How is the amount of support determined?

The child support guidelines used to determine a general child support award is also used for disabled children. The determination must include factors such as the child’s specific needs and social security or other income from government benefit programs.

What constitutes a “disability” with regard to child support?

There is no real statutory definition of disability that requires support from a noncustodial parent beyond the age of majority. One Alabama Supreme Court case has set out some factors to be considered, including:

whether the adult child is capable of earning an income sufficient to provide for his or her reasonable living expenses, and

whether the adult child’s mental or physical disability is the cause of his or her inability to earn that income.

If you have questions regarding child support, or any other family law matter, contact us online or by calling us at (205) 739-2422.

Paternity becomes an issue when child support is before the court. When a child is born to unmarried parents, paternity needs to be established before child support can be ordered. While a father can acknowledge paternity, there are some instances where a women intentionally claims that a man is the father of her child, even when that is not true. This is known as paternity fraud.

The long-lasting effects of paternity fraud

Through the use of paternity tests, many would-be fathers are learning that the children they have provided financial support are not actually their biological children. This can be devastating to many people, including the non-biological father, the biological father, the families of both men, and obviously the children.

Remedies for paternity fraud

Seeking relief from a child support order, after discovering that you are not the biological father, may not be as easy you think. Indeed, it’s not as simple as submitting DNA test results to the court to get the child support order rescinded. There may be complications depending on whether the deadline for contesting paternity has passed. In fact, in some states, a DNA test is not sufficient to vacate a paternity order, without further evidence or documentation. Because the best interest of the child is the top priority for the court, it may be determined that the child should continue to receive support payments.

Be careful signing an acknowledgement of paternity

The best thing you can do to avoid being a victim of paternity fraud is to be sure before you sign anything. Someone who is looking to commit paternity fraud will be hoping that your sense of responsibility will override any hesitation you might have. Nevertheless, the smartest thing to do is request a DNA test to confirm paternity before you sign an acknowledgement of paternity. Most acknowledgements include a waiver of the right to DNA testing.

If you have questions regarding paternity, or any other family law matter, contact us online or by calling Brad J. Latta at (205) 401-1309.